


Solace

by shepherdofmantle (account_now_inactive)



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe- Fantasy, Alternate Universe- Royalty, Anti-Faunus Racism (RWBY), Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Mutual Pining, Secret Magic, Sun/moon themes because i'm GAY, hijinks and shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:40:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25364758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/account_now_inactive/pseuds/shepherdofmantle
Summary: Blake has hidden a secret her whole life- she has magic running through her veins, magic that had all but disappeared from Remnant. However, a seemingly simple diplomatic trip to Vale throws her and her best friend Ilia face-first into a conspiracy, and they find themselves facing off against darker forces than they ever could have imagined.They aren't facing this alone, however, and soon, Blake will learn Yang has just a big a secret hiding under her skin. Maybe, just maybe, a ragtag group of young adults can stop this sinister plot before it gets too far, and someone gets hurt.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 7
Kudos: 66





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! i'm planning to post updates every two weeks for this, so we'll see how that goes. I hope you all enjoy ;3
> 
> i can't stop thinking of them (the bees...)

Blake had always found peace in the shadows. 

Queen Kali watched her infant daughter sitting in her crib, laughing to herself and grasping at thin air, and at first, she thought nothing of it. Babies played, she reasoned, and if Blake entertained herself with the shadows on the wall instead of the mobile above her head, who was she to try and change that? But as Blake grew older, her parents began to notice that she spent more time shut away in dark rooms than playing in the castle gardens- only Ilia could pull her away, the two girls running through the halls making mischief and giggling, like any other children their age. 

When Blake was six, Kali finally sat down with her daughter and asked, “Why do you spend so much time shut away in the dark, instead of with your friends?” 

“But it’s my friend, too,” Blake had replied. 

“What do you mean?” 

Blake had shifted uncomfortably on the chair- she’d never considered the shadows didn’t talk to others like they talked to her. Ilia never batted an eye when Blake mentioned it, but come to think of it, she had never said she heard them like Blake did. Slowly, she reached a hand out, and the shadow of the chair spilling across the polished stone floors rose up, curling around her hand, settling into a small pool in her palm. 

“Blake,” Kali said softly. She looked up at her mother, ears flicking back as she waited, the shadows starting to shift as if sensing her distress. The queen knelt on the ground in front of her, resting her hand on her daughter’s shoulders. “You need to listen to me. You cannot tell anyone else about this.” 

Blake thought of Ilia, but she bit her lip and nodded. 

“You have a gift, Blake. A gift from the gods, but not everyone will see it that way. Some see it as a curse, something to be destroyed.” Blake looked down at her palm, her ears swiveling towards her mother’s voice. “Whatever they say, whatever you hear, remember this: it is not the power that defines you, but how you choose to use it.” 

“I understand,” Blake said quietly, closing her fingers over the shadows. 

Her mother’s words echoed in her head-  _ something to be destroyed _ \- and she shivered. 

The young princess of Patch could, more often than not, be found playing outside until the last possible second, climbing trees to turn her face to the sun or chasing her sister across the soft sands of the beach. She smiled and laughed like her father, loud and bright and full of warmth, but the fire in her eyes was her mother’s. 

Quite literally, Summer discovered one evening when she found Yang alone in her room, the staff having long gone to bed, laughing as small wisps of light danced around her. Summer stepped into Yang’s room and closed the door behind her, joining her daughter on the floor. Yang didn’t bat an eye, just crawled over to sit in Summer’s lap. 

“Your mother could do that,” she said softly. 

“Really?” 

“More or less.” She rested her chin on the top of Yang’s head, looking up at the lights floating around them. With a frown, Yang squinted up at one of the lights and it shifted into the shape of a bird, flying in slow, lazy circles around them. “Have you been practicing?” 

“Yep!” Yang giggled as the bird landed in front of them- it looked so much like Raven, Summer wondered for a moment if the woman had been visiting Yang. “Ruby likes it when I make animals with them.” 

“I bet she does,” Summer agreed. “But, Yang, I need you to promise me something.” 

“Okay.” 

“You need to keep this a secret. You, me, your dad, and your sister. Nobody else can know about it.” 

“Awww,” Yang whined. “Why? Not even Uncle Qrow?” 

“Okay, maybe Uncle Qrow too,” Summer laughed, before her voice turned serious again. “But please, Yang. Not everybody takes so kindly to magic. One day, when you’re older, and you can protect yourself, you can make the decision to tell others. Just promise me this, that until that day comes, nobody else finds out.” 

“Fine. I promise, Mom.” 

“Thank you, Little Dragon.” 

“I love you.” 

“I love you too. But it’s past your bedtime, so you better be in that bed by the count of three!”

Blake wanted to go home. 

She could feel the eyes of the Vale nobility following her every step, whispers and petty gossip swirling through the castle in a whirlwind of not-so-subtle stares and conversations held behind dainty hands- as if that would stop her from hearing them. She forced her ears to stay perked upright, her back ramrod straight, like Kali had taught her, but it was only Ilia’s presence by her side that had kept her sane during the first few days of this diplomacy trip. 

Currently, she was sitting in a parlor with several daughters of local noblemen, her fingers curled into the skirt of her dress while they debated the merits of supporting Atlas’ new Faunus protection laws- currently under review by their Council- as if Blake wasn’t sitting right there, as if Faunus rights were a tool for political gain. Behind her, Ilia sucked in a breath as Blake’s ears flattened against her head. 

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to be late for tea with my mother,” Blake said. She didn’t bother to curtsy and turned on her heel, leaving the others tittering behind their hands as she left. Ilia waited until they turned the corner on the hall before letting out a quiet growl. Red spots sprang to life on her skin as she pressed her hands to her face. 

“Gods,” she groaned. 

“I know. How are we going to last another two months?”

“Fake a sudden illness,” Ilia said. “As your personal guard, I will accompany you back to Menagerie. Boom, home free.” 

“I’m pretty sure my mom would see right through that,” Blake replied with a shake of her head. “They have to have a library in this castle somewhere right?” 

“Classic Blake, fleeing to the library.” Ilia elbowed her, but the red had finally started to fade from her skin. “You think we could steal some of the books?” 

“It was one time!” Blake retorted. “It wasn’t even on purpose.” 

She stepped away from Ilia, crossing her arms and turning her nose up into the air, but she couldn’t stop the smile starting to break out over her face. Of course, that was when a young woman barrelled around the corner and crashed right into Blake, sending the two of them tumbling to the floor in a tangle of limbs. Blake grunted as her back hit the floor- the thin rugs laid over the stone did little to break their fall, and she took the brunt of it as the other woman landed on top of her.

“Oh my gods, I am so sorry,” the woman yelped. She sat up and looked down at Blake sheepishly. Her blonde hair caught the sunlight streaming through the window, glowing like a halo of light, falling in long, messy locks over her shoulders. Her pale lilac eyes blinked once, then twice, as she and Blake stared at each other, but neither of them seemed able to look away until Ilia cleared her throat. 

Blake’s cheeks heated as she and the woman scooted away from each other as if they’d been burned. The woman brushed her hair out of her face and offered a hand to Blake, who took it with a quiet, “Thank you.” 

“I’m sorry, really,” she said. “I’m Yang.” 

“Blake, and this here is Ilia.” She gestured to her best friend and guard, who was currently glaring daggers at the other woman. Yang. “She’s my guard.” 

“Ah, that explains the death glare.” Yang gave a small wave to Ilia, who, despite herself, waved back. “I’m currently ditching mine.” 

As if on cue, Blake’s left ear swiveled towards the sound of footsteps in the direction Yang had come from. The woman dove behind the curtains with a single pleading look to Blake and Ilia, disappearing into the folds of the fabric just as another young woman rounded the corner. Even iff Yang hadn’t said anything, there was no mistaking this woman as a warrior- she wore bronze armor, with a shield and a lance strapped to her back, her long red hair done up in a ponytail and held back with a matching bronze circlet. 

“I am sorry to bother you, have you seen a woman come by here?” she asked. “Long blonde hair, probably running?” 

Ilia pointed farther down the hall, and the woman smiled gratefully before starting off again. Once her footsteps had faded, Yang poked her head out of the curtains with a sigh of relief. 

“So, why are you ditching her?” Ilia asked. 

“I’m going into town, but Pyrrha thinks it’s too dangerous, what with all the attacks recently. I love her, but she’s such a worrywart sometimes.” 

“That is her job,” Blake pointed out. 

“I know, I know, but I can defend myself if I have to.” Yang waved a hand nonchalantly as she stepped out of the curtains. “Ya know, my family used to visit Vale a lot when I was younger, I can show you some good spots if you want to get out of here for a bit.” 

“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea,” Ilia said. 

“That’s alright.” Yang shrugged. “You two look like you need out of here, though. If the town doesn’t float your boat, I know some quiet spots around the castle.” 

“Is it that obvious?” Blake asked, self-consciously smoothing the skirt of her dress where she’d curled her fingers earlier. 

“Only if you know what to look for.” 

“Well, it can’t hurt,” she said. 

Yang led them through the halls, pointing out various rooms and passages, and filling the silence with stories of the young prince, Oscar, or her sister Ruby. By the time they reached a small balcony on the east wing of the castle, the tension had drained from Ilia’s shoulders, and Blake found herself laughing- not the small, polite laugh reserved for tea and dinner parties, but a real, full belly laugh- as Yang described yet another mishap Ruby had managed to get herself into. 

“So, you’re from Patch?” Blake asked as Yang pulled open the sliding glass doors and gestured out onto the balcony. She hoped Yang would stay, if only so she could see that bright smile a little more. 

“Yep! Though, my family are friends, of a sort, with King Ozpin, so, this place is almost like a second home,” Yang said. 

“I’m assuming I’ll see you around, then?” 

“If you’d like to.” 

“I would,” Blake said quietly. “Like that. Thank you, Yang.” 

“Anytime.” Yang smiled, before turning on her heel and giving another small wave to Ilia. “I’ll be seeing you around!” 

Ilia closed the doors behind Yang and turned to Blake with a raised eyebrow. 

“Please-” 

“You have it  _ bad _ ,” she said. 

“Ilia.” Blake buried her face in her hands. “Seriously. She’s pretty, but I barely even know her.” 

“No, you don’t,” Ilia agreed. “But, hey,get to know her and see how it goes. Just be careful, okay?” 

“I will,” Blake said. “You know I will.” 

“I’m not talking about  _ that,”  _ Ilia replied. Her expression softened and she stepped closer, taking one of Blake’s hands in her own. “I’m talking about you, Blake. I don’t want you getting hurt.” 

“Thank you, Ilia.” She pulled her friend into a hug, before stepping back and taking a seat on one of the stools scattered about the balcony. Ilia sat down next to her, looking out over a small garden littered with bright flowers and thick green hedges. “Those attacks Yang mentioned.” 

“Nothing big,” Ilia said. “At least, from what I’ve gathered listening to rumors. Some gang keeps attacking and robbing dust shops in the city.” 

“Why?”

“Nobody knows.” 

“They’re not worried?”

“Apparently, the king has some of his men investigating it, but if they’ve found anything, it hasn’t reached the rumor mill.” Ilia pressed her lips into a thin line as they watched two white-haired young women walk through the garden. Blake recognized the uniform of the taller one, shining the bright white and blue of Atlas in the sun. Thankfully, she hadn’t seen any Atlesians around since they’d arrived yesterday, though she’d seen the general they’d sent from afar. “It’s no secret Ozpin called leaders from all the major kingdoms here.” 

When Blake turned her head, Ilia was already looking at her, those pale blue eyes suddenly sharp and focused. She made the connection Ilia had a moment later, and a shadow poked out from under the stool to tug at the hem of her dress. She inhaled deeply, settling the knot twisting in her stomach, and the shadow melted away. 

“They wouldn’t attack the king,” Blake said hoarsely. 

“No, not unless they were very, very stupid, or they had outside help.” 

“Neither of those are very reassuring.” 

“We are not getting involved, Blake.” Blake frowned, one ear twitching, and Ilia crossed her arms. “Seriously. The moment it seems like something will go down, I’ll ask Kali to send us home. The king has people working on this.” 

“Whatever you say,” she grumped. 

“Blake Belladonna, you are going to be the death of me,” Ilia groaned. “Minimal involvement, either to save someone because nobody else at that moment can do it, or to defend yourself. Got it?” 

“I fucking swear,” Blake said. 

Ilia rolled her eyes and grumbled, “You fucking better.” 


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang is obviously gay. Everybody notices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yang: yeah, i'm gonna go have some fun.   
> Yang: it's sleuthing time
> 
> (she's so smart and i love her but i am so bad at writing characters smarter than me please bear with me)

“What’s got you so happy?” Ruby asked. 

Yang froze halfway through pulling her hair up into a ponytail and met her sister’s eyes in the mirror. Ruby kicked her feet back and forth on the bed, her feet thumping against the side as she watched Yang get ready, an innocent smile on her face. 

“I don’t know.” Yang shrugged. “Maybe I’m just looking forward to a night out?” 

“Riiiiight,” Ruby said. “You owe me, by the way. Pyrrha’s going to have a heart attack.” 

“She knows I can take care of myself.” 

“It’s her job to watch your back, though,” she pointed out. “She could always go with you.” 

“Yeah, parties aren’t really her thing,” Yang said. She finished tying her hair up and turned to face her sister with a frown. “I just want some time where I don’t have to be a princess. I can just be me, and have some fun.” 

“You still haven’t told me why you’re so happy.” 

She groaned and flung her discarded dress at Ruby. Her younger sister squealed and batted the fabric away, but she should have known it wouldn’t be enough to distract her. She laughed it over her head and pouted, turning the full force of her piercing silver eyes on Yang. 

For a moment, Yang’s breath caught, but Summer was dead, had been for years. Sometimes, Yang could almost mistake her for their mother, with that same goofy smile, the same dark hair flying every which way, the same bubbly energy, and those same silver eyes. 

“Fine,” she said, shaking herself out of the memories. “But you gotta promise not to make a big deal about it.” 

“I promise!” 

Yang grabbed her cloak off the chair and fastened it around her shoulders as she tried, and failed, to think of a way to say it without earning an overreaction. 

“I met someone today,” she started carefully, but it was no use. 

“And you like her!” Ruby cried. “Is she cute? Where is she from? What’s her name?”

“Slow down!” Yang laughed. She placed a hand on Ruby’s shoulder before she could bounce right off the bed. “We literally just met today. We might not even actually get along that well.” 

“Uh huh,” she said. “That’s why you’re glowing.” 

“Wait what?” 

“Not literally, don’t worry.” Yang’s shoulders slumped with relief. She’d almost given away her secret that way, once, but Qrow had managed to “accidentally” spill a glass of juice on her head. She’d had to scrub it out of her hair and change clothes, but he’d done it before someone had seen, and her secret had been safe. “For as happy as you look, it sounds like you get along pretty well.” 

“Like I said, I literally just met her,” Yang scoffed. “But, yeah. She seems nice. And funny. And she and her friend helped me hide from Pyrrha.” 

“You were made for each other.” Ruby rolled her eyes as she hopped off the bed. “Say hi to Neon for me!” 

“I will,” Yang promised. “But I’m gonna be late, so see ya!” 

She waved as she backed over to the window and yanked it open with one hand. Ruby waved back, her grin disappearing from view as Yang leaned out and let herself fall. She angled herself so she landed on the hedge below her window with a quiet thump and popped up, pulling her hood up over her head and weaving through the growing shadows towards the palace walls. 

She really hoped her crush on Blake wasn’t that obvious. That’s all it was- a crush. She barely knew her! Just because something drew her towards Blake like a moth towards a light didn’t mean Yang and Blake would get along, or even be friends, no matter how much she wanted it. 

But . . . 

There was hidden depth behind Blake’s golden eyes, and Yang wondered if, maybe, she and Blake were more alike than they first seemed. 

“Hey Yang!” Neon waved as Yang walked up to their meeting spot. She had long since stashed her cloak, trading it for a long leather jacket over her yellow top and black pants. Neon hopped off the wall she’d been sitting on and gave a small twirl on her skates. “Are you ready for some fun?” 

“You bet I am,” Yang agreed. “Now, let’s get some food and get talking.” 

“Gods, I’m starving,” Neon groaned. She skated along next to Yang as they headed down the street, towards the open night market. Neon chattered away about nothing in particular- how Flynt had scored a gig next weekend playing in a tavern, how she’d seen the Atlas ships flying into Vale the other night. 

Translation: they’d have more information soon, and Ozpin’s gathering of nobles wasn’t subtle. 

Yang paid for their popsicles- part of the deal she’d struck with her friend long ago- and they picked their way through the crowds, past vendors peddling their wares and townsfolk headed home from work. Dust powered lamps lit their way so Yang could see, while Neon deftly avoided potholes and rocks that she couldn’t see even with the lamps. 

“Did you hear about the robbery?” Neon asked as she finished off her popsicle with a crunch. 

“Chew your food before you choke,” Yang teased. 

“It’s ice.” Neon stuck her tongue out and skated ahead, spinning on her heel so she could face Yang and talk. “Seriously though. Apparently someone made off with a whole store of dust.” 

“Did anybody see who?” 

“Nope. They were gone before the authorities even showed up.” Yang chewed on her popsicle stick as she thought, until the wood splintered in her mouth. She sighed and tossed it into the next trash, but she’d gotten virtually no new information. “You’re not a one woman army, Yang.” 

“I know! I know,” she said. 

“Come on.” Neon threaded her arm through Yang’s and pulled her along the sidewalk. “Let’s have some fun, and you can tell me what put that dreamy look in your eyes.” 

“Dreamy look?” Yang demanded. 

“Girl, I’d know that look anywhere. You’ve got a special someone!” 

“Why does everyone keep saying that?” 

“Yang,” Neon chided. “Please. I’ve known you for years.” 

“Ugh,” she groaned, but she let Neon lead her down the sidewalk, ignoring the rising flush in her cheeks. 

In the back of her mind, she made a mental note to find out which shop had been hit, to add it to her list. Even with all the dust shops in the city on guard, the thieves had still managed to hit it and get away. Why did they want all this dust, and how were they getting around the guards? 

It was possible they had someone on the inside, and with Ozpin’s little gathering practically broadcasted to the city, the timing left a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She needed to find out why Ozpin had asked for this gathering in the first place.

Uuuuugh, she was so bad at eavesdropping. This was going to be a major pain in the ass. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm having so much fun actually worldbuilding for this, and making an excuse for neon to actually be here and not in atlas jgkdf please don't @ me


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> gay. also kinda sad. but mostly gay.

“I’ll tell you if anything interesting happens,” Kali promised as she pressed a quick kiss to Blake’s forehead. “Stay out of trouble.”

“Of course,” Blake said. “Don’t start a fight at Ozpin’s round table.”

“Of course,” Kali replied with a small smile.

She ruffled Blake’s hair and hurried out of their common room to join her guards. Blake waited until the door had swung shut behind her mother before she sighed and grabbed the small, creamy invitation inviting her to tea with the other nobles. It hardly sparked as she tossed it into the fire, gone in a faint flash of light.

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that,” Ilia said as she stepped into the room.

“See what?”

“Ha ha,” she deadpanned. “It’s not like you to refuse tea.”

“I can get tea in the kitchens.”

“Blake, this is a diplomatic trip.”

“It won’t be very diplomatic if I start an argument.”

“You got me there,” Ilia muttered. “Library?”

“I was thinking of checking out a book and finding a spot in the gardens,” Blake said. “We can even make it a picnic, if you want to grab some food. And tea?”

“Sounds like a plan. Meet you by the fountain?”

“The one with the weird statue in the middle?”

“Yup.”

“Deal.”

Blake settled on the bench across from the fountain- and really, it was a weird statue, most likely representing the God of Light, but the featureless face was unnerving, and it almost felt like it was watching her, judging her. She buried her face in her book, ears pressed flat against her head, and tried to focus on the story, about the journey of a two-souled boy the librarian had recommended her, but that dumb statue towered above her. 

It represented everything that hated her, and the reminder had shadows curling out from under the bench, crawling up her leg like a needy cat. 

The sound of wood striking wood drifted through the gardens, and Blake’s ears swiveled towards the sound. Surely she could check it out and be back before Ilia arrived . . . It was better than trying to ignore the statue. She stood and the shadows scattered back to their spot under the bench as she started towards the sound. 

As she got closer, she could hear the murmur of voices, and the occasional peal of laughter ringing above the crack of the wood, and then a woman shouting, “Kick his ass, Ruby!” 

“I’m trying!” 

Blake stepped around the next row of bushes and stopped short. 

Pyrrha stood to the side, watching as a dark-haired girl and a taller, blond haired boy sparred with wooden training swords. Every so often, she spoke up to give advice, though it was clear the girl was the much more experienced one in this training match. The redhead watching from the sidelines whooped everytime one of them landed a hit, switching from “Nice one Ruby!” to “You’re doing great Jaune!” in the blink of an eye. 

“Nora please,” the boy next to her said. She ignored him and cheered as Ruby landed a hit to Jaune’s knees, knocking his legs out from under him. 

“He never watches the legs,” Yang remarked. 

She didn’t see Blake at first, standing in the shadows of the hedges with her book clutched to her chest. A bright, proud smile lit up her face as Ruby did a small victory dance on the grass, but, as if she could sense Blake’s gaze on her, she turned. Her eyes fell on Blake, and somehow, her face got brighter, as if a light was shining under her skin. Somehow, she was even more radiant than the day before, out in the full light of the sun. Her hair shone golden-yellow, pulled back into a ponytail. A few stray wisps framed her face, bright against golden-brown skin. 

Blake really did have it bad. 

“Hey!” Yang called. She raised an arm and waved her over, and Blake had no choice but to step into the light and join her and her friends. “Wanna join us? We’re watching Ruby kick Jaune’s ass.” 

“He’s got this, you’ll see,” Nora said. 

“Just two minutes ago you were cheering when he wiped out,” the boy reminded her. 

“It was great, wasn’t it?” 

Yang inched over and patted the spot next to her with another one of those brilliant smiles. Blake swallowed past the sudden thickness in her throat and sat. The bench was small enough she was pressed up against Yang’s side, and she wondered if she could feel the beating of her heart in her ribcage. She curled her fingers around the book in hopes she could hide how clammy her hands suddenly were. Yang was warm, really warm, and Blake could feel the end of her ponytail brush against her back in the breeze. 

“One more time?” Pyrrha asked as she helped Jaune to his feet. 

He groaned at the same time Ruby cheered. 

“Fine. One more,” he agreed. 

“You’re getting much better!” Pyrrha patted his back and stepped away. “You cannot improve without practice. Remember your feet!” 

“Right.” He shook himself and raised his sword again. He and Ruby went at it again, and even Blake could see that his footwork was marginally better than it had been. Still not great, but Pyrrha beamed every time he managed to evade an attack from Ruby. 

“What is all this racket?” a voice demanded. A white haired young woman stalked around the manicured hedges, her hands on her hips and a frown on her face. Blake recognized her from the prior evening; she’d been walking the gardens with another white-haired woman. A sister, or maybe her mother? She wore the signature pale, washed-out colors of Atlas fashion, and while Blake preferred to avoid Atlesians if at all possible, she could recognize a Schnee when she saw one. 

“Sorry,” Ruby said. “We were doing some training, we didn’t realize we were so loud.” 

“I can hear you on the other side of the garden,” she humphed. “At least hold your sword right if you’re going to be so obnoxious about it.” 

“Um, what?” Ruby asked. 

“Like this.” She took Ruby’s sword and raised it towards Jaune. “Your way, you leave your left side wide open. This way, you’re more guarded, and you can fight multiple enemies at once.” 

“Oh! Lemme try.” Ruby snatched her sword back and tried to copy the girl’s stance. “Like this?” 

“Better,” she said. “You’re a quick learner.” 

“Thanks! Ooh, you should train with us.” 

“Um.” The girl’s face scrunched up and she looked over at the four of them crowded on the bench, and then Pyrrha and Jaune. “I can’t. I apologize.” 

Blake’s ears flattened against her head, though she couldn’t be sure the girl’s comment was aimed at her. Yang pressed closer, but when she looked over, Yang was focused on the girl and Ruby’s crestfallen expression .

“Why not?” Yang asked. “We don’t bite, I promise.” 

“I do!” Nora said. 

“I’m already late for my next appointment,” she said. She glanced around again, one foot kicking at the stone of the pathway. “But, I will be free this evening, if you still wish to train.” 

“Yes! We can meet back here, it’ll be so much fun,” Ruby shouted. “Oh, I’m Ruby, by the way. That’s my sister Yang, and that’s Ren and Nora, and over there are Pyrrha and Jaune. And Blake! She’s my sister’s friend.” 

“Weiss,” the girl said. “It’s a pleasure.” 

Blake waited until the sound of her heels on the stone faded away before she turned to Yang. 

“I have to go. I promised Ilia a picnic, but I’ll be back this evening. If you want.”

“I’d love that,” Yang said. “Bring Ilia too, I bet she’d love to hang out with us.” 

“I will.” Blake smiled hesitantly and stood, waving to the rest of the group as she turned and headed back to meet Ilia. 

Kali still had not returned by the time evening rolled around. “I’m sure she’s fine,” Ilia had assured her, but that knot of worry had settled in Blake’s stomach, and even the prospect of seeing Yang and her friends could not untangle it. 

Voices, loud and angry, rose as they made their way down the hall, and Blake might have turned on her heel and found a different route, had Yang not been leaning against the wall, arms crossed and expression downright murderous. 

“What’s going on?” Blake asked. 

“My father announced that Patch was considering lifting the ban on magic,” Yang said darkly. “As you can imagine, many people were not happy about it. Some are just more vocal than others.” 

“If you think that allowing evil a safe haven will bring anything but ruin, you are stupider than I thought!” a man shouted. 

Blake flinched, and Yang glowered in the direction of the voice. Her eyes seemed to flash red, but when Blake looked closer, they were their usual soft lilac. She shook her head- she must be tired, seeing things in the dim light. 

“We should go,” Ilia said. “We can find another route to meet up with your friends.” 

She reached over and squeezed Blake’s hand, and Blake returned it with a grateful smile. 

“Right,” Yang agreed. “If I have to listen to Winchester any longer, I’m going to lose it.” 

Even as the voices faded behind them, Blake couldn’t shake that man’s voice from her head.  _ Evil. A curse. Something to be destroyed.  _

The reason the gods had abandoned them. 

“Do you believe that?” Yang asked suddenly. 

“Believe what?” Blake glanced over at her, and for once, Yang’s constant light seemed to have dulled, as if those words had thrown a damper over  _ her. _

“That magic is evil.” 

Ilia stiffened on her other side, and Blake swallowed heavily, turning over her words carefully. 

“I don’t know,” she said after a moment. “I’ve never seen it.” 

It was almost outright heresy, but Yang seemed to brighten again. She glanced over and smiled at Blake, almost shyly. Blake thought, maybe, words that brought Yang’s light back couldn’t be so bad. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, comments and kudos appreciated!!
> 
> tumblr: shepherdofmantle

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: shepherdofmantle
> 
> Twitter: mysteriowos (not very active)


End file.
